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UNC’s Steve Belichick resigns as football investigation ends

Chapel Hill, North CarolinaPublished 18 Sep 2026

Kenan Memorial Stadium at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill.
Kenan Memorial Stadium at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill.

Unknown author / Wikimedia Commons, Public domain · source

Bill Belichick’s son will leave as defensive coordinator on Oct. 27 after a UNC probe found isolated conduct that disregarded school standards. The university called the investigation resolved.

North Carolina announced Thursday that defensive coordinator Steve Belichick will resign Oct. 27 at the end of a medical leave that began Aug. 6. The school said an independent investigation into the football program found isolated actions that disregarded Carolina’s values, not a systemic failure, and that it considers the matter resolved. General manager Michael Lombardi resigned Sept. 3 amid the same probe. UNC did not detail findings; reporting described questions about drug use and staff-player relationships. Freshman receiver Keeyun Chapman was suspended indefinitely after a traffic stop.

Shared facts

Steve Belichick resigned as North Carolina’s defensive coordinator.

Steve Belichick’s resignation is effective Oct. 27, when his medical leave ends.

Steve Belichick has been on medical leave since Aug. 6.

Steve Belichick is the son of North Carolina head coach Bill Belichick.

Steve Belichick is 39 years old.

The University of North Carolina said Thursday it had concluded an investigation into the football program.

UNC has not publicly disclosed specifics about Steve Belichick’s medical leave.

UNC said the investigation found certain actions demonstrated a disregard for Carolina’s values and standards of conduct.

UNC said those actions were isolated in scope and not a systemic failure.

UNC said it considers the investigation resolved.

UNC said all necessary corrective actions are underway under Carolina Athletics and the Office of University Counsel.

UNC did not detail what the investigation found or name individuals in Thursday’s statement.

UNC said it will evaluate credible new information and take appropriate action.

General manager Michael Lombardi resigned Sept. 3.

Lombardi had been on paid administrative leave before resigning.

Lombardi’s leave followed a human-resources complaint by a former UNC front-office employee.

Reporting said the investigation included Steve Belichick and Michael Lombardi.

UNC’s statement mentioned the resignations but did not say whether they were a result of the investigation.

Investigators asked about drug-use allegations in the football program.

WRAL reported lawyers asked whether Steve Belichick used drugs on the job or provided drugs to at least one player.

The investigation included questions about sexual relationships involving staff and players.

Investigators looked into allegations tied to possible NCAA issues.

Investigators interviewed Bill Belichick.

Huff said Bill Belichick made himself and his staff available during the season.

Huff said the inquiry was program-wide and not aimed at any specific people.

The probe began from concerns raised by a limited number of former employees.

Jen Belichick said the family is grateful for its time in Chapel Hill.

Jen Belichick said the family is prioritizing health amid misinformation about their situation.

UNC indefinitely suspended freshman receiver Keeyun Chapman, separate from the investigation.

Chapman was charged or cited after a Tuesday traffic stop with carrying a concealed weapon.

Freshman receiver C.J. Sadler was cited for speeding in the same stop.

North Carolina is 2-0 after wins over TCU and East Tennessee State.

North Carolina visits Clemson on Saturday.

UNC said Chapman’s suspension reflects a commitment to accountability and student-athlete well-being.

UNC said the steps announced Thursday will help make Carolina Football a stronger program.

Steve Belichick was Washington’s defensive coordinator for one season before Chapel Hill.

Newton said the door is essentially never closed if credible new allegations arise.

Lombardi’s attorney Tom Mars said Lombardi cooperated with the investigation.

UNC hired Bill Belichick in late 2024.

Disputed facts

Sources disagree whether investigators interviewed more than 60 people or about 45–50 people across 60 interviews.

ESPN

North Carolina DC Steve Belichick resigns as investigation ends

David Hale

Published 17 Sep 2026 accessed 18 Sep 2026

Facts

ESPN sources said attorneys reached out to staffers, coaches, and coaches’ wives and girlfriends.

Witnesses were asked about Lombardi’s role in hiring and firing female and minority staffers.

Two UNC football players face charges after a Tuesday traffic stop.

A police report said it was Sadler’s third speeding citation in two months.

A police report said about 15 grams of marijuana was found in the vehicle.

Opinion

No opinion marked.

CBS News

North Carolina defensive coordinator Steve Belichick resigns amid internal investigation

Published 17 Sep 2026 accessed 18 Sep 2026

Facts

CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz reports Brian Belichick has been the defensive playcaller and is expected to keep that role.

Steve Belichick was entering his second season as UNC defensive coordinator after arriving in 2025.

Bill Belichick said he looked forward to getting Steve back as soon as possible.

UNC did not appoint an interim coordinator, dividing duties among the defensive staff.

CBS said Bill Belichick is believed to be calling the defensive plays.

UNC ranks No. 21 nationally in defensive yards allowed per play despite returning 32% of defensive snaps and three starters.

Bill Belichick said in August the staff coaches the defense collectively.

Opinion

No opinion marked.

New York Post

Steve Belichick resigning as UNC defensive coordinator after drug probe

Justin Tasch

Published 17 Sep 2026 accessed 18 Sep 2026

Facts

Steve Belichick coached on the Patriots staff from 2012 through 2023 in assistant and position-coach roles.

Opinion

No opinion marked.

WRAL

UNC's Steve Belichick to resign; investigation finds a disregard for Carolina’s values

Brian Murphy

Published 17 Sep 2026 accessed 18 Sep 2026

Facts

Lombardi and Steve Belichick were the only two people who resigned during the investigation.

Paul Newton said the issues did not meet the systemic-failure standard because they could be fixed.

Newton said the test is whether UNC can execute corrective actions that go to the root cause.

Huff said he had full run of the facility and made recommendations and findings available to UNC.

Huff, a former federal prosecutor now at Barnes & Thornburg, said he was instructed to make the inquiry more than the original allegations.

Huff said part of the investigation centered on the football program’s working environment.

Steve Belichick is in the final year of a two-year, $2.7 million contract.

Police said Chapman was a passenger in the vehicle.

C.J. Sadler and Chapman are not expected to play against Clemson.

Steve Belichick did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Lombardi has not responded to multiple requests for comment.

Opinion

Mars has publicly called the investigation a witch hunt.

Huff said those workplace questions might be more important than who is sleeping with whom.

WRAL said Bill Belichick’s tenure has generated far more off-field headlines than on-field success.

Fox News

UNC defensive coordinator Steve Belichick resigns, probe into conduct in football program concludes

Associated Press

Published 17 Sep 2026 accessed 18 Sep 2026

Facts

University Counsel hired Huff as independent counsel to run the investigation.

Huff said university counsel, leadership and athletics did not limit or steer him.

Huff said asking about something did not mean investigators thought it happened.

The probe had been over the Tar Heels since late July.

After Lombardi’s Sept. 3 resignation, Bill Belichick faced news-conference questions that largely were not about football.

Bill Belichick said he believes the program totally has an atmosphere of following rules.

Dean Stoyer said UNC continues to support Bill Belichick and the football program.

Huff said corrective steps are likely to include or address issues related to relationships.

Mars did not return an AP call or email about that comment at the time.

Opinion

No opinion marked.

Sports Illustrated

UNC Defensive Coordinator Steve Belichick Resigns From Role

Hugh Straine

Published 17 Sep 2026 accessed 18 Sep 2026

Facts

WRAL reported lawyers also asked about possible sexual relationships between assistant coaches and recruiting staff.

Lombardi and Steve Belichick, both brought to UNC by Bill Belichick, have resigned after administrative leave and medical leave.

Opinion

Sports Illustrated said off-field distractions remain at the forefront of the UNC program.

Sports Illustrated said Steve Belichick’s resignation is the latest blow tarnishing UNC’s on-field success.

Sports Illustrated said winning is the top priority.

Sports Illustrated said the report is the latest off-field issue that has clouded the program.

Sports Illustrated said the investigation’s conclusion should be a positive.

The Assembly

UNC-Chapel Hill’s Football Investigation is Over. Will We Ever Know What It Found?

Matt Hartman

Published 17 Sep 2026 accessed 18 Sep 2026

Facts

Newton and Huff said secrecy is necessary to ensure future investigations work.

Newton said UNC is going to ask the general public to trust the university.

Newton said UNC has no reason not to put in place corrective actions that work.

Newton said investigators did not find NCAA violations.

Stoyer confirmed no additional staff have resigned and would not say whether anyone has been fired.

Huff would not say what the interviews found, what he recommended, or whether UNC took the recommendations.

Former trustees chair John Preyer told Jenkins there was a civil war within UNC with factions undermining Bill Belichick.

Atlantic reporter Sally Jenkins questioned the investigation’s integrity on Wednesday.

There is no written report to share from the football probe.

An anonymous source told Jenkins the investigation was a puppet inquiry.

Newton said none of that will affect his desire to put the university in the best position based on the facts.

Huff and Newton said they had only discussed Huff’s findings in person.

UNC has kept a 400-page School of Civic Life report secret after The Assembly and others sued for it.

A judge ruled in the university’s favor last month on that records fight.

Newton said he had not read the Atlantic article.

Opinion

No opinion marked.